Shattered
by liz-beth531
Summary: Sam breathed deeply, desperately trying to slow her racing heart. Every eye in the room was on her."Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God?" Sam swallowed roughly before weakly replying, "I do."
1. Prologue

**A/N: So, I had some inspiration for this story a little bit ago, and I really hope it goes the way I plan. It's pretty different from things I would normally write, so I really hope you enjoy it! **

**Don't own iCarly.**

Prologue

"Hello, 911, what's your emergency?"

"Help! I-I just found my boyfriend in his house. He's not moving…th-there's blood everywhere…oh god I don't think he's breathing!"

"Ma'am, please try to remain calm. What's your location?"

"12…15…East 15th street. A-apartment 342."

"I'm sending help out now. They should be there within minutes."

"Puh-please hurry!"

Within minutes, the young girl heard the faint scream of sirens in the distance. She closed her eyes, praying they would be there in time.

**A/N: This is just the prologue. Other chapters will be much longer, I promise. **


	2. Chapter 1

**A/N: Just to clear up some confusion, anything in italics is present day, and that will always start off the chapters unless otherwise noted. **

**Don't own iCarly.**

Chapter 1

_ Sam breathed deeply, desperately trying to slow her racing heart. Every eye in the room was in front of her. A Bible was thrust in front of her, and she was instructed to place her right hand atop it._

_ "Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God?"_

_ Sam swallowed roughly before weakly replying, "I do."_

-1 year ago-

Sam watched the rolling farmlands and hillsides slide across her vision as the silver sedan coasted down the country road. She felt a hand reach for hers, and her attention was pulled from the window to the driver.

"Did you have a good time tonight?" he asked, lacing his fingers with hers. She nodded.

"Yeah," she answered, "it was fun."

Fun hadn't even begun to describe it. It had literally been the best night of her college life so far, despite the fact that it had only been a couple weeks since fall quarter began. Sam squeezed his hand subconsciously. "It was the perfect first date," she added quietly. She saw him smile in response.

"I'm glad." A moment of silence hung between them before he spoke again. "So, do you think you'd be able to handle being my girlfriend."

"Yes," Sam said, trying to control the smile spreading across her face, "I think I might be able to handle that."

* * *

><p><strong>Samantha Puckett is now <strong>_**in a relationship**_** with Dustin Williams**

"I don't like this," a boy mumbled from his computer, repeatedly clicking on Samantha's name to ensure it wasn't a lie. It wasn't. There it was, right underneath her profile picture: **In a relationship with Dustin Williams.** An arrogant face with a smug smile stared right back at the boy, as if mocking him. The boy slammed the table in anger. Beside him, the sound of a deep intake of breath shook him from his thoughts. He quickly closed Facebook as the girl on his bed slowly woke up.

"Freddie?" she said groggily, rubbing her eyes.

"Hey," he said, turning to face her. "Did you sleep well?" She nodded, inhaling deeply and stretching.

"I heard a noise. Ugh, what time is it?"

"It's about 11:00," Freddie replied, ignoring her first comment. The girl checked her phone just to be safe.

"Oh wow. Was I really asleep for that long?" Freddie nodded, standing up from his desk and walking over to his bed. He sat down, allowing her to cuddle against the crook of his arm. He kissed the top of her head absently.

"I guess you were tired," he responded.

"I really should get back to my own room," she mumbled, though she made no effort to stand up from Freddie's bed.

"Ok," Freddie whispered, rubbing her arm. "Want me to walk you there?" She grumbled incoherently in response.

"I don't want to leave."

"I know," Freddie answered. "But Jake will probably be back soon, and I don't want him to get the wrong idea." The girl sighed, finally sitting up straight and looking at Freddie.

"You ok?" She asked. Freddie nodded, a little too quickly.

"Why wouldn't I be?" The girl shrugged.

"You just seem a little distant."

"I'm tired," he answered. "That's all. I promise."

"Alright. I guess I'll go back and let you get some sleep then."

"Do you want me to walk you back?" Freddie asked again. The girl nodded.

"I'd like that."

They both exited Freddie's dorm room and walked down the hall, hand-in-hand. Silence hung awkwardly between them, and Freddie knew he should say something, but his mind was too far gone. He could not stop thinking about Sam with that boy, and that frightened him. He knew they had moved on years ago, but he still could not get her out of his head.

"Are you sure you're alright?" the girl's small voice asked from next to him. Freddie squeezed her hand reassuringly.

"I'm fine," he answered again, "really. It's just been a long day, and I need some sleep." They had arrived at her door, and she turned to face him.

"Can you believe it's been almost a year?" she asked, smiling. Freddie smiled back, desperately hoping that it didn't look as forced as it felt.

"It's been the best year of my life," he answered. He had meant every word of it, and probably would have sounded more sincere had it not been for tonight. Still, the girl in front of him smiled. She moved towards him, and he wrapped her in a warm embrace, resting his chin on the top of her brunette hair.

"I love you, Freddie," she mumbled into his neck. He closed his eyes, trying to bring himself back to this moment.

"I love you too, Carly."


	3. Chapter 2

**A/N: Don't own it. Hope you guys like it so far!**

_"Please state your name for the court."_

_ "Samantha Puckett."_

_ "And where are you from, Samantha?"_

_ "I'm from Seattle, Washington."_

_ "And how did you know the victim, Dustin Williams?"_

_ Sam took a deep breath before answering, "He is…I mean, he was…my boyfriend."_

**-1 year ago-**

Sam sat on a faded blue couch in Dustin's small living room. His house was a typical college house: the floor was creaky and dirty, the faucets leaked, the windows were drafty…but all in all, Sam greatly preferred this house to her dorm room. "My turn," Sam said, continuing their game of twenty-questions. "Um…what's your favorite color?"

"Blue," Dustin answered simply. "What's yours?"

"Orange. Hmm….what's your favorite movie?"

"Definitely The Dark Knight."

"Ugh. Overrated!"

"Alright then, what's yours?"

"I don't have one."

"You're lying," Dustin replied.

"I don't lie," Sam shot back.

"False!" Dustin exclaimed. Sam smirked but said nothing. "You have a favorite movie."

"Do not!" she defended. Dustin moved closer to her.

"You better tell me what it is."

"Or what?" Dustin lightly poked Sam in the side and she squealed. "Please don't."

"Then tell me what your favorite movie is, or I'll have to tickle it out of you."

"Fine!" Sam said, laughing slightly. "My favorite movie is The Notebook, alright?"

"Are you serious?"

"Nobody knows. It's sort of my guilty pleasure." Dustin smiled and shook his head.

"And you said _my _movie was overrated." Sam hit him playfully.

"Ask me something else."

"Isn't it your turn?"

"I can't think of anything. Ask me." Dustin looked around for a moment, his eyes landing on a small silver band on Sam's right ring finger.

"Why do you wear this?" Dustin asked, taking her hand in his.

"Oh," Sam said, sounding surprised. "I actually forgot I still wear that. I guess I'm so used to it by now." She smiled, sliding the ring off of her finger and handing it to Dustin. He furrowed his brow, looking at it.

"What is it?"

"Freddie gave it to me," she answered timidly.

"Freddie….as in your ex-boyfriend Freddie?" Sam nodded. "So…why do you still have it?" Sam sighed, taking the ring back from Dustin.

"Freddie's family is super Catholic. Mine…isn't. When we were dating, he started taking me to church, and I guess I was inspired or whatever. I started reading the Bible and going to church every Sunday….I don't know, it was just something I really began to enjoy." Sam looked at Dustin, but he said nothing. She continued, "After about a year of dating, Freddie and I exchanged these rings. They're purity rings, and we wore them to symbolize our commitment of waiting until marriage to have sex. This one's engraved, see?" She ran her finger across the small engravings on the top of the ring. "After he and I broke up, I kind of lost my faith in the church, but I didn't lose my belief in this. The top says 'true love waits' and the inside says '1 Corinthians 10:13.'"

"What is that?"

Sam sighed and closed her eyes, trying to remember it. "It says, 'No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.'"

"Oh," Dustin answered shortly. Sam laughed and shook her head.

"It's just a verse that was significant to both of us," she explained.

"So if it was special between the two of you, why do you still wear the ring if you're broken up?" Dustin asked. Sam shrugged.

"It's still something I believe in," she answered. "I don't think it really matters who gave it to me." Dustin was silent. "Does it bother you that I wear it?" He shrugged absently. "I can take it off if you want me to. I honestly am just not even aware that it's on my finger most of the time." Dustin sighed.

"Whatever. You can do what you want with it."

"Why do you sound angry?"

"I'm not, Sam! I just don't think it's very appropriate for you to be wearing jewelry given to you by your ex, that's all!"

"Alright, then I'll take it off. I didn't think it would bother you so much."

Dustin sighed, pulling Sam closer to him and wrapping her in his arms.

"I'm sorry I snapped," he mumbled. "I didn't mean it. I would like it if you took it off, but it's up to you what you do."

"If it bothers you, I won't wear it anymore," Sam answered. Dustin smiled.

"You're the best."

* * *

><p>"You look great tonight," Freddie said, admiring his girlfriend behind the glow of a small candle. Carly smiled in response, looking shyly down at her plate of pasta.<p>

"So do you," she answered. "Thank you so much for taking me to dinner, by the way. It's delicious." Freddie shrugged in response.

"I just figured we needed to have a night to ourselves, and what better way than to take you out for your favorite food." He reached across the table, taking Carly's hand in his.

"You're the best, you know that?"

Freddie smirked. "So I've been told."

"Oh, so get this," Carly said, her tone rapidly changing. "Apparently, Sam has a new boyfriend."

"Oh, no way," Freddie responded, hoping his voice sounded casual.

"His name is Dustin. I guess she met him at school. She texted me last night when it happened, but you saw how tired I was. I didn't get the text until this morning. Anyway, she said that he's really awesome and that they've been hanging out since the beginning of the school year and he finally took her out on a date and asked her to be his girlfriend last night. Isn't that great?"

"Yeah," Freddie answered absently, taking more interest in his plate of pasta than what his girlfriend was saying.

"Aren't you happy for Sam?"

"Yeah, I guess. I mean, it's a little early to just jump into a relationship like that but whatever. I hope it works out."

"Freddie?"

"Hm?"

"Why aren't you looking at me?"

Freddie sighed, dropping his fork and looking up at Carly.

"Does it bother you that Sam has a new boyfriend?"

"Why would it?" Carly didn't even need to answer that question. Freddie shook his head. "What Sam and I had was great while it lasted, but it's in the past. I've moved on." He took hold of her hand once more, hoping to prove his point. "I have the greatest girlfriend I could ask for now, and Sam is really just a distant memory. I have all I need right here." Carly smiled, squeezing his hand lightly.

"I'm sorry I brought it up, though. I know you guys had kind of a falling out, and I'm sure you still don't particularly like hearing about her." Freddie shrugged.

"It's alright, babe. It doesn't bother me, really. It's getting late though. You should probably finish your pasta if you want to have time for dessert."

**A/N: Pretty please review so I know what you guys think!**


	4. Chapter 3

**A/N: Still don't own it. Sorry I don't have much more to say than that, but I'm sure you guys would rather read the story than my author's notes anyway :p. **

_"You were his girlfriend?"_

_ "Yes, I was."_

_ "So you two were close." Sam nodded. "For the record, please."_

_ "Yes, we were close."_

_ "How close would you say you were?"_

_ "Objection, Your Honor," Sam's lawyer said flatly, "the question is ambiguous."_

_ "I'll rephrase," the prosecutor stated. "Did you two engage in sexual relations?"_

_ "Objection!" Sam's lawyer said more powerfully. "Your Honor, this question is irrelevant."_

_ "This question is directly related to the evidence, Your Honor," the prosecutor responded._

_ "I'll allow it," the judge answered. _

_ Sam's eyes quickly scanned the faces in the courtroom. She took a deep breath, prepared to answer, when her eyes landed on Freddie Benson. Her voice caught in her throat, and she couldn't seem to make a sound. _

**-11 months ago-**

Sam's stomach grumbled in anticipation. Sweet smells of grilled chicken, spices, and corn bread filled the small kitchen in Dustin's house. She opened the oven, briefly checking the status of the corn bread.

"Babe, how much longer?" Dustin groaned from the couch in the living room.

"Just a minute. The bread is almost done." She heard Dustin walk into the kitchen and felt him wrap his arms around her waist from behind.

"It smells delicious," he mumbled into her hair. She smiled, leaning back against him.

"I hope it tastes just as good," she answered. She turned around to look at him, resting her forehead against his. "Happy one-month by the way," she said, giving him a quick peck on the lips.

"You too, babe," he responded, leaning in to press his lips against hers more forcefully. She gladly accepted, allowing herself to slowly melt into his much larger frame. She felt his hands slowly roam down her back and back up her shirt. She smiled into his lips and softly pushed his hands away.

"What?" he asked, giving her his signature smirk.

"I'm trying to cook," she said lightly.

"Aw, come on babe. The bread will be fine for five more minutes." He leaned in for a kiss again, but Sam turned her face.

"No, hun I really need to get this out of the oven," she said, attempting to push away from him. His grip around her waist was too strong. "Dustin…"

"Babe, the bread isn't going anywhere," he said, pulling her closer.

"Dustin, seriously, please let me go."

"What, you're all against having a little fun?"

"I just don't want to right now, ok?"

"There's a surprise," Dustin grumbled, finally loosening his grip on her.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Look, babe, the purity thing was cute at first, but seriously, how long do you expect me to wait around for you?" Sam's mouth dropped open in shock.

"Dustin…I thought you understood…"

"What I understand is I'm in a relationship with someone who won't put out even a little bit. Do you think that's somewhere I want to be right now?"

"And I am, well make that _was_, in a relationship with a self-centered asshole." Sam ripped the oven mitt she had been wearing off of her hand and threw it square at Dustin's face before storming out of the kitchen.

"Call me when you grow up, you prude bitch!" Dustin called from the kitchen. The front door slammed shut in response.

* * *

><p>Freddie was vaguely aware of his phone vibrating in the distance. He was lost in the world of half-consciousness after a particularly draining biology exam. He blindly reached for his phone on the windowsill, missing the first few times and knocking a bottle of water off in the process. Eventually, he reached his phone and pressed it against his ear.<p>

"Hullo?" he answered. Silence answered. He opened his eyes, blinking a few times to focus before looking at his phone. The screen read:

**1 New Text**

"Stupid Samsung phones vibrating three times for a text," Freddie grumbled to nobody in particular. He flipped his phone open, unprepared for what met his eyes on the inner screen.

**1 New Text**

**412-555-0783**

Freddie's breath caught in his throat. Though he had deleted the contact, he would still recognize that number anywhere.

"Sam," he breathed. His thumb lingered over the "view message" button as thoughts raced through his mind. _What does she want? Why is she texting me? Does she remember that we haven't spoken in months…years even? _Finally, Freddie took a deep breath and pressed ok.

**Hey um…I'm sure you still don't want to hear from me now but…I was just wondering if I could ask you something. **

**-Sam **

Freddie's fingers began to shake slightly as he composed his short reply:

_**Ask away**_**. **

**Do you remember those purity rings we gave each other?**

_**Of course.**_

**Do you still wear yours?**

Freddie paused, unsure of how to answer. _Why is she asking me this? _He thought irritably before briefly considering not even answering her question. After all, why was it any of her business what he and Carly did or did not do in the bedroom? He sighed, finally deciding to answer her.

_**Why do you ask?**_

**Just curious I guess. **

_**No, I don't wear it anymore.**_

Freddie pinched the bridge of his nose between his thumb and forefinger, clenching his eyes shut. The ring on his right hand was cold against his hot cheek, as if catching him directly in his lie. His phone vibrated once more, startling him from his thoughts.

**I do. **

**A/N: So I'm sorry if this seems really slow and back and forth. I promise it will pick up as it goes on. I hope you guys like it so far though!**


	5. Chapter 4

**A/N: So…I haven't gotten much response from this fic, but I guess I'll just assume that you guys like it for now :p. All kinds of reviews are ALWAYS appreciated though. I would really love to know if you love it, hate it, or think I can improve it in any way :). **

_"With all due respect, Your Honor," Sam's lawyer pleaded, "I really don't see how this has anything to do with the evidence provided thus far."_

_ "Your Honor, I _assure_ you it does." The judge sighed. _

_ "The prosecution will present the evidence related to this question before the question can be answered, then," the judge declared. _

_ "Very well," the prosecutor said, turning to the jury. _

**-11 months ago-**

Sam was sitting at the small wooden desk in her dorm room, furiously typing away at her laptop. Across the room on her windowsill, her phone began to ring. She tuned it out, just as she had been for the past few days. On the other end of the room, her roommate, Emily, stirred in her bed.

"Sam, your phone's ringing," she mumbled into her pillow. Sam didn't answer. The ringing stopped. Soft snores started sounding from Emily's bed again. Sam continued on her paper, hoping to get it done before her first class. The ringing sounded again. Emily groaned in frustration.

"Sam! Answer your damn phone!"

"No," Sam answered shortly, not looking up from her screen. Emily grumbled and sat up, rubbing her eyes.

"Who the fuck is calling you at 7 am anyway?" she asked irritably.

"Probably Dustin," Sam responded absently.

"So answer it."

"I'm not talking to him."

"Then at least turn your damn phone off!"

Sam sighed, saving her paper and walking over to her windowsill. She turned her phone on silent and threw it onto her bed.

"Happy now?"

"Can I sleep without interruption?"

"As long as you wish," Sam said, her voice dripping with false sweetness. Emily smiled.

"Then yes, I'm very happy." She collapsed back onto her pillow and Sam rolled her eyes before returning to her computer. She opened her Facebook page, hoping to take a small break from her incessant writing. As if by clockwork, the minute she opened her home page, a message popped up in the bottom left corner.

**You haven't answered any of my texts or calls in days.**

Sam groaned, minimizing the chat without responding. What would it take for this kid to realize that she didn't want to talk to him? The chat popped up once again.

**Why won't you talk to me?**

** Can you please forgive me?**

** Babe….**

Sam finally closed Facebook. _Looks like I won't be getting any sort of study break after all_. She re-opened her paper and continued writing it once more. Just before it was finished, a loud knock sounded from her door. Sam greatly resisted the urge to scream out. She closed her laptop a little too forcefully before opening her bedroom door. As expected, Dustin was standing on the other side. Sam stepped out into the hallway and closed the door behind her.

"What?" she hissed through clenched teeth.

"Why won't you answer any of my calls or texts?" he asked.

"Maybe because I have no desire to talk to you," Sam answered, turning around to re-enter her room. Dustin put a hand on her shoulder, stopping her.

"Will you just hear me out for one minute?"

Sam turned back around, crossing her arms. "Alright. You have one minute. Talk."

"I'm sorry about what I did and what I said. It was wrong. I never should have done that. I'm not used to having a girlfriend that's very set in her beliefs, and I guess I need to get used to that. I really do respect you, Sam, and I promise nothing like that will ever happen again."

"Is that it?" Sam responded. Dustin nodded. "Well, your apology is duly noted, however I need to go back inside and finish my paper, so if you don't mind…" Dustin grabbed her hands and pulled her closer to him.

"Am I forgiven?" he asked, looking at her pleadingly. Sam sighed.

"I can't be with someone that won't respect me."

"I know, and I promise I will respect you completely from now on."

"How do I know I can trust that?"

Dustin pulled her close, wrapping his arms around her waist and kissing her deeply. When he pulled away, he rested his forehead on hers and looked straight into her baby blue eyes.

"Because…I love you, Sam."

* * *

><p>Freddie could not focus on his work at all. His mind was still set on the conversation he'd had with Sam just a few days ago. It was so small, so insignificant, and yet he couldn't stop thinking about it. It was the first contact he'd had with her since the break-up, really. The memories had finally receded to the back of his mind (mostly since he'd started dating Carly), but those texts from her brought them back in full-force. Freddie grumbled, throwing his pencil onto his desk and resting his head in his hands as visions from their last encounter flooded his mind.<p>

_"Y-you what?"_

_ "I cheated, ok?" she yelled, tears streaming down her face. "It happened a couple weeks ago, and it was only a one-time thing, and I feel so awful and….oh Freddie I'm so sorry." Choking sobs began to overtake her body. Freddie stood, frozen to the spot. "Please say something," she begged. He looked at her, feeling absolutely no emotion. _

_ "Leave," he managed to say. _

_ "Freddie…"_

_ "Leave!" he said, more forcefully. "I've forgiven you for a lot of things in the past, but I can't forgive this. We're done. I don't ever want to see you again. Go."_

Freddie wondered, not for the first time, why she had bothered asking about the purity ring. He figured her idea of "purity" was pretty much shot to hell after that incident nearly two years ago. Suddenly, Freddie's phone began to ring, and he nearly jumped out of his seat.

"Hello?"

"Hey!" It was Carly. While he normally loved hearing her voice, it just seemed way too perky for his mood at the moment.

"Hey, what's up?"

"I was just wondering if you wanted to go get food tonight," she said, clearly oblivious to the tone of his voice. Freddie sighed, not really up for seeing Carly. Ever since the conversation with Sam, and the fact that he could not get her out of his mind, he was wrought with guilt every time he laid eyes on his girlfriend. Carly must have noticed his delay in response. "If you don't want to, it's fine. I just figured that I'm done studying for the day and I'm not really in the mood for dorm food."

"No, it's fine. Yeah, we can go get some food. I need to finish up some homework, but I'll come by your dorm when I'm done, alright?"

"Ok," Carly responded. Freddie could hear the smile in her voice. "See you soon. I love you."

"See you soon," Freddie responded before hanging up. He was very aware that he hadn't said he loved her too.

**A/N: Please, please, please review! I really want to know what you guys think!**


	6. Chapter 5

**A/N: So just a quick reply to some reviewers. Those of you who took the time to review, thank you so much! They really mean a lot!**

**Flutter360: First of all, thanks for all of your reviews :). It really is awesome that you took the time to do that! To answer your question, yes that passage is directly from the Bible. It's one I like a lot. Also, thank you for your suggestion about my summary! It actually does help a lot (I usually use lines from my story as a summary, but I couldn't find a very good one for this one :p). Again, thank you so much for your help and reviews, and sorry this reply is so long haha. **

_"The jury will note that, upon arriving upon and investigating the scene of the crime, this was found in the victim's bathroom." The prosecutor held up a plastic bag with a small object inside it. "If Your Honor will allow me to magnify this on the projection screen?"_

_ "Yes you may," the judge responded. The prosecutor put the bag underneath a projector, allowing it to be magnified on a drop-down screen._

_ "As you can see, this is a pregnancy test." Sam cringed inwardly on the stand. "And, as the jury can also see, it's positive."_

**-10 months ago-**

"Thanks again for taking me to your place for Thanksgiving, hun," Sam said from the passenger seat of Dustin's car. Dustin smirked in response.

"It's no problem babe, really. I knew you didn't want to go home, and my mom is dying to meet you anyway."

"Well I'm pretty excited to meet your family, too." Sam laughed softly. "Look at us, becoming all official and everything."

"Official?" Dustin asked, furrowing his brow. "We weren't before?"

"Well, yeah we were before but…I don't know, I feel like meeting your parents is a big step." Dustin shrugged.

"Yeah I guess."

The two fell into a short silence as Dustin exited the highway.

"Are you excited?" he asked.

"Yeah, a little. I'm mostly nervous though, to tell you the truth. I haven't exactly made a good impression on parents in the past."

"Well, my parents aren't Freddie's parents," Dustin answered, a little defensively.

"I know that…" Sam responded, "I'm just telling you what's happened before."

"Well, get ready to make a good impression because we're here."

Dustin's house was impressive to say the least. Its entire foundation was made of stone, and two tall white pillars guarded the giant wooden front door. Sam stood momentarily rooted in her spot, gazing at the house.

"Wow," she breathed. "Your house is gorgeous."

"Eh, it's alright I guess," Dustin answered, popping his trunk and lifting both of their suitcases out of it. "It's nothing too impressive." Sam made a pfft noise in response.

"Wait until you see my place and you'll realize that it is pretty impressive." Dustin didn't respond. They both walked up to the front door, and Sam followed Dustin through it into a large, impressive foyer.

"Mom!" he called. "We're home!" Sam heard the hurrying of footsteps from the floor above before seeing a middle-aged, very petite woman running down the stairs.

"Oh it's so good to see you!" she cried, wrapping Dustin into a hug. He was able to easily rest his chin on the top of her head as she hugged him. When she pulled away, she turned to Sam.

"And you must be Samantha," she said cheerfully, sticking out her hand.

"Sam, actually," she replied, shaking the woman's hand. "It's nice to meet you."

"Oh, you too! You too! Dustin has told me so much about you!" Sam heard Dustin grumble slightly under his breath.

"Oh he has?" Sam answered slyly. "Only good things, I hope."

"Oh of course! Nothing but good things! But come on inside, you guys must be cold! I'll make you some hot chocolate. Dustin, help Sam take her things to your room." Sam furrowed her brow, but said nothing as they climbed the stairs, both bags in Dustin's hand. When they finally reached his room, Dustin dropped both bags next to his double bed.

"Your room?" Sam finally asked. "So…I'm sleeping in here?"

"Yep," Dustin answered simply. Sam shuffled her feet nervously, afraid to object. Dustin raised an eyebrow. "Is there a problem with that?"

"Well it's just…I don't know, it's a little soon for things like that, don't you think?"

"Sam, I already agreed that I'm not going to try to have sex with you, but now you're telling me I can't sleep in the same bed as you?" Sam sighed in annoyance.

"I just think that since we've only been dating for like two months, it's just a little soon for that. That's all." Dustin grabbed her suitcase forcefully, pushing past her and storming out of the room. Sam trailed behind him into another bedroom. He tossed the suitcase across the room. It hit the wall on the other side with a soft thud.

"There, happy? Now you don't have to endure the pain of sharing a bed with me," Dustin snapped.

"Dustin, I'm sorry that I think it's a little soon for that…what's your problem?"

"Right now, my problem is you! I just…I need to be away from you for a minute, ok? I'm going to go talk to my mom, please don't come downstairs until I come get you." With that, Dustin turned and exited the guest room, closing the door forcefully behind him.

* * *

><p>Freddie sighed in content, stretching out on his living room couch. Thanksgiving break was exactly what he needed. Things had not been going very smoothly for the past couple weeks, and he knew that being away from everyone would definitely help him clear his mind. He even hoped that it would clear up the rough patch that he and Carly were going through. She had begun to notice his reluctance to tell her he loved her, and she had suggested a "break" between them while they were home for Thanksgiving. Freddie couldn't help but see the irony in this, considering that they lived directly across the hall from each other. Still, a few days away from all the drama was exactly what he needed. He fished his phone out of his pocket, wanting to find at least one person he could hang out with. As he was scrolling through is contacts, a text message from Carly popped up. He pressed ok to view it.<p>

**Look, I know we're supposed to be on a break or whatever, but can we talk? Please?**

_**Yeah I guess. What's up?**_

**Just meet me in the hall, ok?**

Freddie sighed, forcing himself to get up from his couch. What could she possibly need to talk about now? He walked out of his apartment, seeing a very distressed Carly standing outside of her door.

"Hey," he said softly, "what's going on?"

"What do I want to be when I grow up?" she asked, her voice sounding very distant. Freddie raised his eyebrow.

"A teacher," he said simply.

"And where have I always wanted to go to school for that, but haven't gotten in?"

"Princeton…what does this have to do with anything?"

Carly reached into her pocket, revealing a small folded piece of paper. She handed it to Freddie who opened it and began to read.

_Dear Miss Shay,_

_ We are pleased to grant you acceptance into Princeton University's secondary education program…_

Freddie did not need to read anymore.

"What does this mean?" he asked, his heart beginning to race.

"I got in," she answered shortly.

"I can see that, but why are you showing me this? You're already going to Washington State."

"Not after this quarter I'm not."

"Wait…what?"

"I'm transferring…to Princeton." Freddie stood silent in shock. "Aren't you happy for me?" Freddie took a deep breath.

"I'm very happy for you for getting in, but what does this mean for us?"

Carly shrugged. "I still need to figure that out. There's a lot of distance between here and New Jersey."

"I know, but we can make it work…can't we?"

"That's the thing," she answered, her voice catching slightly in her throat, "I'm not sure if we can."

**A/N: Pretty, pretty please review with sugar and whipped cream and cherries on top? :)**


	7. Chapter 6

**A/N: Thank you guys so much for your reviews!**

**purplehAM: Thank you for all your reviews so far! I felt I needed to have a shout out to you because I love how you're so into the story and how your reviews always ask questions. Just keep reading, I promise they will all be answered! :)**

_ "Samantha Puckett, did this pregnancy test belong to you?" Sam glanced over at the jury, all twelve faces seemed focused intently on her._

_ "No," she whispered. _

_ "Were you aware that Dustin was cheating on you?"_

_ "Objection," Sam's lawyer called again. "Speculation."_

_ "Sustained."_

_ "I'll rephrase. To your knowledge, was Dustin seeing another woman at the time of his death?"_

_ "Not to my knowledge, no," Sam answered, hating how weak and fragile her voice sounded._

_ "So you were lying about the pregnancy test?"_

_ "Objection!"_

_ "Counselor," the judge warned, "please watch how you phrase your questions."_

_ "I apologize, Your Honor. Allow me to restate a previous question. Samantha Puckett, regarding the pregnancy test shown on the screen, did it or did it not belong to you?"_

_ Sam took a deep breath and straightened herself in her chair. She looked the prosecutor directly in the eye before boldly stating her answer. _

_ "No, it did not."_

**-9 months ago-**

The highway that spread out before Sam's car seemed endless, but Sam didn't mind. Driving was nice. Driving was mind-numbing. Driving was exactly the kind of break from reality that she needed. Sam yawned, shifting her position in her seat and wincing slightly in pain. She wondered how obvious the bruise would be in a couple hours. She wondered how quickly it would be until people noticed.

_"You've been texting him behind my back!"_

_ "Dustin, it's not what you think…"_

_ "You told me that you don't talk to him anymore!"_

_ "I don't see why it's such a problem…."_

_ "You lied to me about talking to him…what else are you lying to me about?"_

_ "Dustin…"_

_ "Are you hanging out with him too?"_

_ "No! Dustin..."_

_ "Are you seeing another guy?"_

_ "Will you stop?"_

_ "Are you fucking him?"_

_ Before she knew what was happening, Sam had reared back and slapped him square across the face. Time seemed to freeze for a split second before Dustin had grabbed Sam by the shoulders and shoved her into the wall._

_ "Dustin, let go of me…" _

_ His grip on her shoulders only tightened._

_ "Dustin, you're hurting me!"_

_ He said nothing for a moment, then gradually loosened his grip on her. _

_ "I'm sorry," he mumbled, looking down at the floor. "I lost my temper."_

_ "I think it's best that we don't talk to each other over break."_

Those were the last words she had said to him, but naturally he did not take them seriously. In the few short hours since that had happened, she had received three phone calls and nearly fifteen texts explaining how sorry he was for what had happened, that he loved her so much, and that it would mean the most to him if she'd please respond. She didn't. In fact, she wanted nothing to do with him for the next couple weeks. She contemplated turning her phone completely off once she got home, but she knew that would probably piss him off more. The best thing to do at the moment was to continue to ignore his texts and calls, and pray that they eventually stopped.

Sam sighed with relief as her exit came looming into view. It wasn't the exit that would take her to her house, but she didn't plan on going home for most of break anyway. She had planned to stay with Carly since that had been the only place in her childhood that had felt even remotely like a home. Once she exited the highway, she continued a few miles down the busy roads of Seattle before finally pulling into the parking lot of Bushwell Plaza.

* * *

><p>It was tough for Freddie to know that these would be the last few weeks he would spend with his girlfriend. The hard part about it wasn't the fact that she was leaving for a school on the other side of the country; the hard part was accepting that, although she was going to be nearly 3,000 miles away, he didn't care.<p>

The thought struck a nerve, but he knew it was true. He knew he should be dreading the end of break. He knew he should be wanting to spend every last second with her until she had to leave. However, none of this was reality for Freddie Benson. His reality was that he was, in fact, relieved that she would be gone. He would finally be able to stop pretending.

_Pretending? Pretending what?_ He thought, though he knew exactly what. As hard as he tried, he could never truly convince himself that he was actually in love with Carly Shay. He was definitely attracted to her (though what guy in their right mind WOULDN'T be?), and her personality was one that he always got along with; he had just always felt as if something was missing.

It wasn't like he _wanted _her to move away. She was still one of his best friends, after all. He just wasn't particularly _sad_ that she was moving away. It was for these reasons that he found himself in front of Carly Shay's apartment the moment he arrived home for winter break. Their exams had not lined up with each other, so Carly had gone home a few days before Freddie. He stood in front of his girlfriend's front door, finding it extremely difficult to summon the courage to knock. When he finally did, he heard the sounds of quick footsteps and girls' voices from behind the door. He had just enough time to register that there was more than one voice before the door opened. Standing directly in front of him, for the first time in two years, was Samantha Puckett.

**A/N: Sorry it took a little bit for me to update, and sorry if this chapter seems short! I know what I want to have happen, I just have to battle a little bit of writer's block to get there :p. Anyway, I really hope you guys are still liking this! It would mean THE MOST to me if you reviewed :D!**


	8. Chapter 7

**A/N: Sorry that these updates are taking a couple days to get up! Honestly, I've been on break and really haven't felt like doing much of anything haha. But I promise I haven't given up on this story. I will keep it going as much as I can. Again, thank you to EVERYONE who takes the time to review. It really means a lot to me!**

_ "If the pregnancy test does not belong to you, then, is it possible that it belongs to another woman?"_

_ "Well I don't see how it can belong to a man," Sam retorted. _

_ "You said you weren't aware that Dustin was seeing another woman. Is it possible that he was?"_

_ Sam didn't say anything. Finally, she shrugged her shoulders._

_ "For the record, please."_

_ "I guess," she mumbled. The prosecutor sighed._

_ "Let the record note that the defendant 'guesses' it would be possible that Dustin was seeing another woman. I'm not expert on teenage angst, but I suppose that would mean that it is possible he was seeing someone else, correct?"_

_ "Yes," Sam said shakily, looking down at her hands, "I suppose it is possible."_

**-9 months ago-**

Freddie and Sam stared at each other for what seemed like an eternity. It was almost scary to Freddie that they'd been apart for so long, yet it seemed like nothing had changed about her. Finally, Sam was the first to speak.

"Hi."

Freddie swallowed roughly before responding, "hey."

"I assume you came to talk to Carly?"

"Yeah, actually."

Sam nodded before stepping aside from the doorway. "Carls, come downstairs!" she called. She walked over to the couch and sat down, turning on the TV and not giving Freddie a second glance. Within seconds, Freddie heard Carly running down the stairs, and he turned to greet her.

"Hey," she said, walking up to him and giving him a kiss on the cheek.

"Hi," he answered. "Can, um...can we talk?"

"Yeah, what's up?"

Freddie's eyes traveled to Sam briefly. "In private?" He added. Carly sighed before opening the door and following him out into the hallway.

"What is it?" she asked after closing the door behind them. Freddie sighed, looking down into her eyes and taking her hands in his.

"Carly, you're one of my best friends…you always have been…but, I don't know. I feel like this relationship has been slowly going downhill recently, and I really don't think it will survive the distance once this break is over."

"What are you saying?" Carly asked. Freddie sighed again.

"Look, you said it yourself that you don't think we can handle the distance," he explained. "And, I think you're right…so, why should we torture ourselves over break if we know it's going to end anyway?"

"But we don't know that," Carly said, taking her hands out of Freddie's. "We don't _know_ anything about what's going to happen. You don't even know if I've actually confirmed my acceptance to Princeton!" Freddie raised an eyebrow in question. "Ok, so I confirmed it as soon as I got accepted, but that's not the point! When I said I didn't think we could handle it, I didn't mean I wanted to break up!"

"Then what did you mean?"

Carly was silent, as if contemplating Freddie's question.

"I guess I wanted you to realize that this relationship isn't what it used to be," she finally confessed. "I wanted you to realize that things had changed."

"I do realize that," Freddie said, "which is why I think that this would be for the best."

Freddie noticed the tears begin to flow over Carly's cheeks. He reached over to gently wipe them away, and was surprised when she actually let him. He knew Sam would've never been ok with such an action, then he mentally cursed himself for thinking about her once again.

"It's her, isn't it?" Carly asked in a hollow voice. The question was so sudden, so accusing, that Freddie wondered if he had actually spoken aloud.

"Why do you ask that?"

Carly shrugged. "Things started going downhill since she got a new boyfriend," she responded. "It wasn't hard for me to put the pieces together. And…I saw that you had been talking to her again."

Freddie shook his head. "All of those conversations were started by her," he explained, although he knew that it wasn't helping his cause.

"Is it really worth it, though?" Carly asked, as if Freddie hadn't even spoken. "After what she did to you…is going back really worth it?"

"Why are you talking like this? I never said anything about going back to Sam."

"You didn't have to." Carly's voice was so soft that Freddie had to strain to hear her. She shook her head. "So, this is really happening?"

Freddie hesitated, then slowly nodded. "I'm sorry," he whispered. Carly nodded, sniffling and wiping her nose on her sleeve.

"Yeah, me too."

* * *

><p>Sam heard the door to Carly's apartment open once again. She turned to ask what the talk was all about, but Carly had quickly shut the door and run up the stairs. Sam furrowed her brow before standing up from the couch and following her best friend. She tried to open the door to Carly's bedroom, but it was locked.<p>

"Carly?" she asked, knocking on the door. There was no response. Sam knocked louder. "Carly!"

"Go away," a muffled voice answered from behind the door.

"Carly, what's wrong?"

"It's your fault!"

"What's my fault?"

"Don't pretend like you don't know!" Carly's voice slowly became more clear. "It's your fault that he doesn't love me anymore!"

Sam was taken aback by Carly's words. "What are you talking about?" The door to Carly's bedroom finally opened, and a disheveled Carly stood in front of Sam with her arms crossed.

"Freddie broke up with me," she seethed. "And I know it's because of you."

"Carly, I have no clue what you're talking about! Why would I make Freddie break up with you? First of all, I cheated on him. Second of all, I have a new boyfriend. And third, even though he and I aren't friends anymore, I still saw how happy he made you. Why would I want to ruin that for my best friend?"

"He still loves you," Carly grumbled.

"He told you that?"

"He didn't have to! It's been written all over him since the moment you started dating Dustin!"

Sam sighed in defeat. "Carls, I don't know what to tell you. The only thing I can say is that I had nothing to do with this. I promise."

"Oh, stop it Sam. I've seen your guys' late night texting conversations!"

"Ok? Those weren't meant to be a secret. That was just me trying to reconnect with an old friend."

"An old friend who happens to be your ex…an old friend who, despite two years of being ignored, is still not over you!" Carly was crying again, and Sam was unsure of how to fix the situation. Finally, she came to the solution that usually helped when she and Dustin were having problems.

"Maybe it's best if I stayed somewhere else for a while."

* * *

><p>"Why did you break up with her?"<p>

Freddie was still in such a state of shock seeing the blonde in his doorway that he didn't even register her question.

"What?"

"Why did you break up with Carly?" Sam repeated.

"She's going to Princeton."

"That's a bullshit reason and you know it, Benson," Sam spat.

"No it's not, Sam. She's going to be a few thousand miles away, and our relationship wasn't strong enough to handle it."

"She clearly didn't feel the same way, though."

"You don't know that."

"Then why did she come running back into the apartment crying? Why did she refuse to talk to me?" Sam looked Freddie square in the eye before asking her final question, "Why does she think you're still in love with me?"

Freddie opened his mouth to answer, but no sound came out.

"Are you really jealous of Dustin? Are you really not over me? God, Freddie, even _I _ know that what I did to you was just about the shittiest thing that can be done to a person!"

"It was, Sam," Freddie mumbled.

"So why is Carly in there suddenly claiming that you're still in love with me?" Sam shouted.

"I don't know!" Freddie shouted. "Maybe it's because I was crazy about you! Maybe I've never felt the same about anyone as I did about you! Maybe what you did to me was awful, but it didn't change my feelings for you! Maybe I never pictured you with someone other than me!" Freddie grabbed Sam by the shoulders to pull her closer when he noticed her wince in pain. It wasn't significant, and may have gone unnoticed by any other person; but Freddie knew Sam inside and out. He knew all of her signs of weakness, especially since they were so few and far between. He paused, looking into her eyes. She refused to meet her gaze.

"What was that?" he asked. She looked up at him questioningly.

"What was what?"

"You're in pain," he said, loosening his grip on her shoulders.

"What are you talking about?"

"Take off your sweatshirt," he said, closing his eyes.

"I'm leaving," Sam said, turning back towards Carly's apartment. Freddie grabbed her hand to stop her.

"Please," he said quietly, looking imploringly into her eyes. "Please take it off." Sam took a deep breath, feeling her insides melt at his stare. Slowly, she pulled her hoodie up over her head. Freddie came closer, securing an arm around her waist so she could push him away. He took a deep breath, breathing in her scent that he had missed for over two years. Then, very slowly, he lifted the sleeve of her t-shirt to reveal her shoulder. It was black and blue and visibly swollen. Freddie sucked in his breath at the sight of it.

"Who did this to you?" he murmured. Sam didn't respond; she knew that Freddie didn't need to hear the answer.

**A/N: So, this was kind of a longer chapter. It's probably a little cliché, but oh well. Let me know what you guys think! I love all of your reviews bunches, and I appreciate all kinds of reviews!**


	9. Chapter 8

**A/N: Hey guys. I'm really sorry for not being able to update sooner! I've been out of town with no internet access and just got back late yesterday. Sorry again for the wait! **

** On another note, thank you all so much for your reviews, and please keep them coming!**

_ "So, if it's possible that Dustin was seeing another woman, is it possible you were a jealous mess?"_

_ "I already told you," Sam seethed, "I have no idea if he was seeing anyone else."_

_ "Are you lying to me, Sam? Remember, you're under oath."_

_ Sam was silent. _

_ "I think you know about the other woman."_

_ "Objection," Sam's lawyer called from his table. The prosecutor didn't acknowledge it._

_ "I think that you knew about her and were so overcome with jealousy that you snapped, resulting in the death of Dustin Williams."_

_ "OBJECTION!" Sam's lawyer bellowed. _

_ "Sustained," the judge growled angrily. _

_ "Withdrawn," the prosecutor said, a small smirk forming on his face. Sam knew exactly what the prosecutor was doing. He may have legally withdrawn the statement, but he accomplished his goal: he put the thought into the jury's mind. Sam shivered, a sickening feeling creeping into her stomach. The prosecutor turned to the judge._

_ "The prosecution rests, Your Honor."_

**-9 months ago-**

Sam sat at her desk, staring into the beady black eyes of a teddy bear. She had returned to her dorm room after a long but satisfying winter break only to see this mysterious bear sitting on her desk. She lifted it up, looking behind, around, and underneath it, but there were no clues as to who was responsible for this bear, though Sam was pretty sure she had an idea. She sighed, pushing the bear to the corner of her desk in order to make room for her laptop and other supplies. Suddenly, there was a soft knock at the door. Sam grumbled, standing up from her desk to go answer it. Just as she had suspected, Dustin stood on the other side of her door.

"What do you want?" she asked, crossing her arms over her chest. Dustin peered over her shoulder to her desk and smiled.

"I see you got my present." Sam didn't respond. Dustin sighed. "I just want to talk to you."

"If you knew anything about me, you'd know that I hate teddy bears," Sam said flatly.

"Sam, can I please just come in and talk to you?"

"Why?"

"Because I really need to. Look, just please let me in. I promise I won't be more than five minutes."

Sam hesitated for a moment, then reluctantly stepped aside to allow Dustin access to her room. As soon as he was inside, she shut the door behind him and turned to face him.

"So…talk."

"I'm sorry."

Sam stood silent, waiting for him to continue, but he didn't speak. Sam raised an eyebrow. "Is that all?"

Dustin sighed then shook his head. "No. I'm so sorry….so incredibly sorry for what I did. I did a lot of thinking over break. I thought about the kind of person I've been…and I thought about how much you mean to me. Sam, I never meant to hurt you, but the point is I did. I lost my temper very easily, but I promise that will never happen again." He walked towards Sam, taking her hands in his. "My point is that losing you, even for a couple weeks, was the worst thing to happen to me. I realized all of my mistakes, and I realized that I really need to change if I still want you in my life. I love you, Sam, probably more than you know…and I really want a chance to prove to you that I've changed."

Sam stared at him, her teeth clenched together inside of her jaw. She didn't answer for what seemed like forever. Finally, she took a deep breath and relaxed her jaw. "I've heard people tell me that they've changed a million times before", she said. "What makes you think that I'll believe you now?"

"Honestly, nothing. I'm just really hoping that you can give me that chance."

Again, Sam didn't answer. She stood contemplating her options.

"How about this," she replied. "Let's start as friends first. If you can prove to me that you've really changed, we'll see where it goes from there. Sound good?" Dustin smiled.

"Yes," he said, pulling her into a hug. "That sounds perfect."

* * *

><p><em><strong>Dustin wants to get back together.<strong>_

Freddie stared at the text, not believing what he was reading. He continued to look at the screen of his phone, contemplating a response before finally hitting the reply button.

_**Are you serious?**_

_** Yeah. **_

_** Are you going to do it?**_

The reply was more delayed that normal, but it finally came.

_**I'm not sure. **_

Freddie felt rage build up in his body. How could she go home for winter break insisting on never wanting to see his face again, then suddenly be considering getting back together with him after less than a day back? Freddie took a deep breath, texting back the question that was burning in the front of his mind.

_**Does he know?**_

His heart pounded against his rib cage as he waited for the response. When his phone finally vibrated, he quickly opened it to read.

_**No. And I don't plan on him ever finding out. **_

**A/N: Sorry if it seemed a little shorter than normal. I'm battling even more writer's block, and I really need to get through these next couple chapters to get to the really exciting part. Hope you enjoyed anyway, though! Please review! You guys are awesome!**


	10. Author's note

**A/N: Hey guys! First of all, I'm really sorry that I had to make this chapter an author's note, but know that I'm working on the next chapter as you read this! I just need to address some points.**

** First, sorry for not being able to update sooner. I've been out of town a lot recently without internet access, but now I'm back and ready to finish this story!**

** Ok, now here's the really important part. I'm changing the time frame in this story. I know what I want to have happen, and it can't work with the time frame I've set up. Basically, I'm editing the story so that all the parts that happened 2 years ago will have happened only 1 month ago. Sorry if this is kind of confusing. I am updating all the chapters so you can go back through them quickly to get an idea for the time if you need to. **

** Again, sorry for any confusion, and I promise the next chapter will be up very soon!**


	11. Chapter 9

**A/N: Hey guys. Sorry about the delay again! I was out of town for a school event and I had no internet, so I was unable to update :(. Anyway, I hope you guys are still following this story and still like it! Again, sorry for the wait!**

_"Defense, please present your case."_

_ "Your Honor," Sam's lawyer answered, "may we take a five minute recess?"_

_ "Granted," the judge replied. He looked at his watch. "The trial will resume at 12:05 pm." He banged the gavel before rising from his chair with the rest of the court following suit. Sam ran over to the defense table to meet quickly with her lawyer._

_ "You alright?" he mumbled. Sam nodded, though she knew she wasn't entirely alright. "You remember what to do, right?" Sam nodded again. _

_ "I'll be fine," she answered; she wasn't sure if she was trying to convince her lawyer or herself. Regardless, her lawyer nodded._

_ "I know you will," he answered. "Remember, we already practiced what I'm going to ask you. Just stick to your answers and we'll be fine."_

_ "Promise?" Sam asked weakly. Her lawyer nodded. Sam noted that refused to look her in the eye. _

**-7 months ago-**

Sam leaned her hot face against the cool porcelain of her dorm room toilet. She took a deep breath, trying to recover from her most recent round of vomiting. She closed her eyes, willing the churning in her stomach to subside. When her stomach finally relaxed, she took a chance at standing up. The room seemed to wobble for a second before Sam finally regained her balance. She made her way over to the sink, quickly washing her mouth out and gargling her mouthwash. When she finally emerged from the bathroom, Emily gave her a once-over.

"Sick again?" she asked, raising an eyebrow. Sam nodded.

"I think I have the flu," she said weakly.

"You've been throwing up every few mornings for the past couple weeks. That sounds like a very strange flu pattern to me."

"What are you, a doctor?"

"I get sick a lot, Sam."

"Whatever."

Emily sighed. "When was the last time you and Dustin hooked up?"

Sam furrowed her brow. "What are you talking about?"

"You and Dustin have sex…right?"

Sam's eyes widened for a second, then immediately narrowed. "I'm not pregnant, if that's what you're thinking."

"So you and Dustin don't have sex?"

"No, we don't," Sam answered, annoyance flooding her voice. Why was her sex life any of Emily's business anyway? It's not like they were exactly best friends. Emily shrugged.

"Alright, Sam…but I know the signs of pregnancy when I see them."

"Oh really? What makes you such an expert?" Sam sneered. Emily shook her head, turning away from Sam to face her computer screen. Sam thought she wasn't going to answer until she finally heard Emily's voice.

"Just trust me."

"Trust you? Are you serious? You're over there assuming things that you have no clue about! You don't know me, so quit acting like you do! And quit acting like you're an expert on pregnancy. Just because you can't keep your legs closed and may have been knocked up once or twice by some random dude does not make you an expert!"

"You're right, it doesn't make me an expert," Emily replied coolly, her voice unusually calm. "But just so you know, I didn't get pregnant from 'some random dude' like you may think."

"That doesn't exactly make it OK," Sam mumbled. Her voice was significantly softer, but she refused to give up the argument. Emily let out a short, sarcastic laugh. She still was not looking at Sam.

"You're right, it doesn't make it ok," she spat, "especially since it wasn't my choice." Sam stood speechless, gaping at the back of Emily's head. Emily was typing silently at her computer.

"Emily?" Sam finally asked, her voice unusually small.

"I'm busy," Emily grumbled. Sam nodded, though she knew Emily couldn't see it. She turned and walked to the door, hoping to get some time away to think. When she reached the door, she paused briefly and turned to look over her shoulder. Emily had stopped typing.

"I'm sorry," Sam said. Both the girls knew she wasn't just talking about their fight.

* * *

><p><strong>-1 new text message-<strong>

**From: Sam Puckett**

_I got sick again today. I'm not really sure what's wrong with me._

**Reply:**

**-Text message-**

**To: Sam Puckett**

_How often has this been happening?_

**-1 new text message-**

**From: Sam Puckett**

_A couple weeks now._

**Reply:**

**-Text message-**

**To: Sam Puckett**

_When was your last period?_

**-1 new text message-**

**From: Sam Puckett**

_December. Right before we broke up. It's March now._

**Reply:**

**-Text message-**

**To: Sam Puckett**

_You really should test yourself. I don't see how it could be anything else._

There was no reply. He was worried, but he knew better than to pester her. She would tell him if something was wrong, and he hoped she knew that he would be there for her, regardless of how the situation played out. He was at his desk, studying for a few of his finals before his phone finally vibrated again.

**-1 new text message-**

**From: Sam Puckett**

He was afraid to open it. He closed his eyes and pressed the open button with shaky fingers. Inside were two words that made his breath catch in his throat and his entire body go numb:

_It's positive._


	12. Chapter 10

**A/N: Sorry it's been so long, guys! Classes just started and I've been kind of busy. Anyway, hope you don't hate me too much for making you wait! Here's the next chapter.**

_ "Defense calls Samantha Puckett to the stand."_

_ Sam resumed her position on the chair next to the judge. She wrung her hands nervously in her lap._

_ "Samantha Puckett, please tell the court what you were doing on the night of May 13__th__, 2011."_

_ "I had just come out of a night class when I got a text from Dustin saying he wanted to hang out," Sam explained, trying to make her voice sound more confident than she actually felt._

_ "Can you please tell the court what time this text arrived?"_

_ "It arrived at 8:35 pm on the night of May 13__th__."_

_ "And what time did your class let out?"_

_ "It usually lets out at 8:30, but the professor had kept us about three minutes later that day."_

_ "So you're saying you left your class at approximately 8:33 pm on the night of May 13__th__?" Sam's lawyer asked, facing the jury._

_ "That's correct," Sam answered._

_ "What time would you say that you arrived at Dustin's house?"_

_ "Well, I was just leaving the building when I received his text. It's about a ten minute walk to his apartment from the building I was in. I'd say I arrived at his house around 8:45 pm."_

_ "And you say that when you got there you saw Dustin lying, unmoving, on the floor in a pool of blood?"_

_ Sam shivered as the sight came back into her mind. She took a shaky breath and nodded._

_ "For the record please, Samantha."_

_ "Yes. That's what happened."_

_ "Did you immediately call the police?"_

_ "Yes," Sam answered. _

_ "If the jury will direct their attention to the projection screen." A document appeared on the projection screen in front of the jury. "This is a copy of Samantha Puckett's phone record. You will note that a call was made to 9-1-1 at 8:47 pm on the night of May 13__th__. My client had been in class all day that day. How, then, would it have been possible for her to arrive at Dustin's apartment, murder him, then call the police all in the timespan of just two minutes?"_

**-7 months ago-**

Sam sat on Dustin's bed, rubbing her palms nervously against her jeans. It had been about a week since she'd taken the first pregnancy test, and she had been avoiding seeing him ever since. After what seemed like hours, Dustin finally emerged from the bathroom, where Sam's second pregnancy test sat on the counter. His face was extremely pale.

"You were right," he said, his voice extremely strained. "It is positive."

Sam nodded, unable to make a noise. Dustin looked at her.

"I don't understand," he said. "It's only been about two weeks since we had sex the first time. How could this possibly be able to tell you that you're pregnant?"

"It only takes a couple days to happen," Sam mumbled. "I made sure I got a super advanced test, just so I could be sure."

"So this is for real?"

Sam nodded again.

"What are you going to do?"

She shrugged.

"Sam, this is kind of a big decision."

"I know." Sam's voice was just above a whisper.

"You need to make a choice."

"Maybe I'm not ready to make it," she whispered hoarsely.

"I'm not ready either!" Dustin bellowed. "But…dammit, Sam I got you pregnant! We can't just pretend like this didn't happen!"

Sam didn't answer. Dustin sighed, relaxing his shoulders and walking to join Sam on the bed. He put an arm gently around her shoulders.

"What are you going to do?" he repeated. Sam looked up into his eyes.

"I'm really not sure," she answered.

"Well you can't keep it," Dustin said flatly.

"I don't think that's entirely your decision to make."

"Sam, it's my kid too. You know that I'd want to be there for you for every step but…I mean, let's face it, we're college kids. We can't raise a baby. It wouldn't be fair to it."

Sam was silent for a while. Finally, she nodded. "I know. I guess I really have no choice, then." Dustin gently kissed the top of her head.

"I'll call the clinic," he mumbled into her hair. "I'll make you an appointment."

* * *

><p><strong>-1 new text-<strong>

**From: Sam Puckett**

_Dustin wants me to get an abortion._

**Reply**

**-Text Message-**

**To: Sam Puckett**

_You're not actually going to do it, are you?_

_**-**_**1 new text-**

**From: Sam Puckett**

_I don't really have a choice. He already made the appointment for me._

**Reply**

**-Text Message-**

**To: Sam Puckett**

_You could say no. It's your baby too, Sam. You need to make that decision on your own._

**-1 new text-**

**From: Sam Puckett**

_I know. But you know as well as I do that it has to be this way._

Freddie closed his phone roughly and threw it against his dorm room wall. It hit the wall with a loud thud, causing the battery to pop out of the back. Freddie didn't care. He couldn't believe that Sam was putting herself through all of this. Why was she letting this asshole control her relationship…her life…her _child? _Freddie groaned loudly, burying his face in his hands.

"How can she be like this?" he asked no one in particular. He was vaguely aware of the moisture that was beginning to accumulate on his hands. He sniffed, wiping his wet face and trying to remember the last time he had cried.

_I would never, ever treat her like this, _he thought helplessly, squeezing his eyes shut against the flow of tears. While the thought was true, he knew it to be a moot point. Even if she really had wanted him back, why in his right mind would he take her? She had hurt him more than anyone else in the world ever could; yet here he was, crying his eyes out once again over the same girl.

That's when it hit him: the last time he had cried had been over two years ago, right after they had broken up.

**A/N: I know, the ending of this chapter kind of sucks, but at least this story is going smoothly again (at least, it is in my opinion). Hope you guys are still reading and still like it! Remember, all reviews are appreciated! Thanks! **


	13. Chapter 11

**A/N: So, I'm in a writing mood tonight, and I figured I should just keep updating this story! A lot of you are reviewing saying that you're confused. That's actually good for me haha. The point of this story is to keep you guessing until the end! Anyway, here's the next chapter. Enjoy!**

_Sam felt her muscles relax as she studied the faces of the jury. They all seemed to be contemplating her lawyer's question; trying to figure out how a 19-year-old girl could kill her significantly larger boyfriend and call the cops in the timespan two minutes. Sam switched her gaze to her lawyer. The look on his face told her that he was proud of his work so far. _

_ "Samantha, was your relationship with Dustin a good one?"_

_ Sam hesitated slightly before answering._

_ "Yes," she answered shakily. "It was very good."_

_ "And you told the prosecution that you were unaware of him seeing anyone else, is that correct?"_

_ "Yes. I'm positive he wasn't seeing anyone else."_

_ "Ah, but you told the prosecution that it was possible that he was seeing someone else."_

_ Sam sat up a little straighter before answering._

_ "I said it was possible," she answered. "I never said that it was actually true."_

_ "Therefore, you would have no reasonable cause to kill him, would you?"_

_ "No."_

_ "Samantha Puckett," her lawyer said dramatically, looking directly at her. "Did you kill Dustin Williams on the night of May 13__th__, 2010?"_

_ "No," Sam answered strongly. "I did not."_

**-6 months ago-**

Sam sat in the lobby of the clinic, her eyes darting about the room. She was surprised not only at the amount of people that were there, but also at the fact that none of them seemed phased. It was as if they weren't even aware that they were about to kill the thing that was growing in their stomachs. Sam suddenly felt extremely ill.

"Dustin," she whispered shakily.

"Hm?"

"I really don't think I can go through with this."

Dustin laid the magazine he had been reading on his lap and turned to face Sam.

"What are you talking about?"

"I just…it just doesn't feel right."

Dustin sighed and rested his hand on top of hers.

"Babe, I know you're scared," he said soothingly. "I'm pretty sure it's normal to be scared…but you know as well as I do that you can't have this baby, let alone even carry it to term. We just don't have the money for that, and it wouldn't be fair to it."

Sam nodded, but the knots in her stomach would not loosen. She swallowed roughly.

"I really hope I'm making the right decision," she said, squeezing her eyes shut to prevent tears from leaking out. Dustin put an arm around her and pulled her close.

"You are," he mumbled into her hair. "I promise, you'll be fine."

"Samantha Puckett?" a nurse called from the front of the room.

"That's our cue," Sam said, standing from her seat on shaky legs. She and Dustin walked toward the nurse, who was smiling kindly.

"Follow me," she said softly, leading them through a door and down a hallway to an empty room. "Just take a seat in here. I'm going to ask you a few questions before the doctor comes in."

Sam nodded before making her way over to the table. The pleather cushion was cracked, and the padding was extremely worn underneath a very thin sheet of paper. Sam's sweaty palms stuck to the paper as she climbed up onto it. Dustin took a seat in the corner as the nurse washed her hands and put on gloves.

"Alright, I just need to ask you some questions, give you a quick check-up, and then I'll send the doctor in. Sound good?"

Sam nodded, unable to find her voice.

"Alright. Your name is Samantha Puckett. How old are you?"

"I'm 19."

"And are you a student?"

Sam nodded.

"Ok great. Are you allergic to any medications?"

"No, I don't think so."

"Do you have any history of stroke or heart attack in your family?"

"No."

"This question may seem silly regarding the circumstances, but when was your last period?"

Sam thought for a moment. "It's March…so I guess January."

"So how far along do you believe you are?"

"About a month."

The nurse nodded, scribbling a few things before setting down the clipboard. She came over to Sam, checking her blood pressure, ears, nose, and throat quickly. She scribbled down the results and turned back to Sam.

"Alright, everything seems to be normal. We'll just need to get a quick ultra sound to confirm a few things, and then we can get the doctor in here, alright?" Sam nodded. "Ok, I just need you to lie back, and I'll set up the machine."

Sam laid back on the table, the paper crinkling loudly under her head. The nurse turned off the lights and wheeled a large, white machine over to Sam.

"Alright, I'm going to need you to lift your shirt." Sam complied, allowing the nurse to squirt a cool gel onto her stomach. "You may want to close your eyes," the nurse said gently. Sam did, trying to focus on slowing her pounding heart. She felt the nurse move the ultrasound equipment over her stomach, and she imagined what the picture looked like on the big screen. The thought made her extremely sad, and she squeezed her eyes even tighter, trying to resist even the slightest glimpse of her unborn baby.

"Ok," the nurse finally said. Sam heard the click of a few buttons. "You can open your eyes now." The room was still dark, but she could make out the nurse's kind face. "I'll just send these images over to the doctor, and then he'll be right in to finish the procedure."

Sam nodded, still refusing to speak. She watched the nurse pick up her clipboard, turn on the light, and exit the room. As soon as the door closed, Sam turned to Dustin.

"Did you look?"

He shook his head. "Did you?"

"No. I couldn't."

"Me either."

Sam noticed a small buildup of tears begin to form behind Dustin's eyes. She reached out, taking his hand in hers.

"We'll get through this," Dustin said, giving her hand a slight squeeze. "I know we will."

"I hope you're right," Sam whispered.

Silence hung between the two for what seemed like an eternity. Finally, the door opened, and an elderly man walked through it.

"Are you Samantha?" he asked. Sam nodded. "I'm Doctor Robinson, and I'll be supervising your procedure today. I just had a quick question before we begin. You said that the intercourse leading to the pregnancy happened just over a month ago?"

"That's correct," Sam replied. The doctor leafed through the papers on his clipboard quickly before speaking again.

"Have you had intercourse at all before that point in time?"

"No. That was the first time. Why?"

The doctor sighed, slowly looking up to meet Sam's gaze.

"I looked at the pictures from the ultra sound, and you are not one month along at all."

"Ok, so I'm just a couple weeks along…is that really a big deal?"

The doctor set his clipboard on his lap and clasped his hands together.

"No, Samantha, it wouldn't be a big deal if you were only a couple weeks along; however, that's not the case." He quickly looked over at Dustin before turning his gaze back to Sam. She felt her stomach tighten once again before the next sentence came out of the doctor's mouth. "According to the information we have, you're already _three_ months along."

**A/N: Sorry if this was kind of long and boring. I didn't think it would be as effective if I just rushed through the appointment. Anyway, pretty please review and tell me what you think. Thanks!**


	14. Chapter 12

**A/N: Um…I don't have much to say. I just like to be consistent in putting an author's note before and after my story haha. Don't judge. Anyway, thank you guys so much for your reviews, and here's the next chapter!**

_ "The defense rests, Your Honor," Sam's lawyer said, a victorious smirk beginning to form at the corners of his mouth. Sam stood on quivering legs and began making her way back to the defense table. _

_ "The counselors will now give their closing arguments," the judge proclaimed. "Prosecution, you have the floor."_

_ "Your Honor, counselor, and esteemed members of the jury," the prosecutor began, turning to each person respectively. "The defendant, Samantha Puckett, is a liar and a murderer. She is an unstable teenager with extreme rage tendencies. You've heard from the paramedics that arrived at the scene. They said that wounds that traumatic would kill a person within a matter of seconds. You've heard from a coroner that would rightfully place the time of death around 8:33 pm. That's two minutes after the text message was sent to Samantha's phone. How is this possible? Well, the answer is simple. Samantha skipped class that evening and took a walk to Dustin's apartment. Upon entering the apartment, she found the positive pregnancy test. She was so overcome with rage and jealousy that she picked up a knife and slit his throat. She knew that she could never get away with it, so in a hasty plan to cover her tracks, she sent a text message to her own phone as soon as she was sure he was dead. She waited the appropriate time that it would've taken for her to arrive at his apartment, then proceeded to call the police." The prosecutor faced the jury directly before uttering his final statement, "Ladies and gentleman of the jury, with all of the evidence that has been provided throughout this trial, there is not a doubt in my mind that Samantha Puckett murdered Dustin Williams on the night of May 13__th__, 2010."_

_ Sam sat frozen in her seat. She couldn't handle hearing the words that were coming out of the prosecutor's mouth. She hoped beyond hope that the jury wasn't buying it. She knew that that couldn't possibly be the case, though. There was no way that a panel of twelve people could deny the truth that was being thrown in their faces. _

_ "Defense," the judge said, "you may now take the floor."_

_ "Your Honor, if I may, we have a surprise witness to call to the stand."_

_ "I'm afraid it's too late for that, counselor," the judge answered. _

_ "Your Honor, please. This witness says that he is detrimental to the verdict of this case."_

_ The judge sighed, sliding the sleeve of his robe back to look at his watch._

_ "Very well," he announced. Sam noticed her lawyer's hands begin to shake as he spoke._

_ "Defense calls Freddie Benson to the stand."_

**-6 months ago-**

Sam gaped at the doctor, unsure of what to say. After what seemed like an eternity, she was able to find her voice. "Th-three months pregnant?"

The doctor nodded. "I'm sorry to be the bearer of bad news," he said. "However, the evidence is extremely clear. There's no way that the fetus is less than 3 months along so far."

Sam swallowed roughly, remaining silent. Thoughts and excuses raced through her mind. The doctor turned to Dustin.

"Are you the father?" the doctor asked.

Dustin nodded. "Supposedly, yes."

"Did you two have intercourse before the date listed on this paper?"

Dustin sighed then slowly nodded his head. "We were at a party in early December," he explained. "Right before winter break. We both got really drunk, and neither of us knew exactly what was going on. I don't remember much, and she doesn't remember anything. Anyway, we woke up naked and extremely hung over. We thought that it may have happened, but Sam said she got her period in January, so I assumed that it couldn't possibly have happened, because she probably would've been pregnant or something."

The doctor nodded in response. "Bleeding and spotting is actually fairly common, especially in the early stages of pregnancy," he explained. "However, I'm sorry to say that it turns out you two must have had sex at that party, because the baby was most certainly conceived sometime in December."

The doctor stood from his chair and opened his mouth, prepared to give a parting statement. He quickly closed it and looked questioningly at Dustin.

"I hate to do this," he said, "but this is all very important information."

"Ok," Dustin replied, raising an eyebrow in response. The doctor sighed again.

"I have to ask…how sure are you that you are the father of this child?"

"I'm positive," Dustin replied, looking at Sam out of the corners of his eyes. Sam remained silent, looking down at her feet.

"So you feel there's no need for a paternal test then?"

Dustin smiled. If Sam had been looking at him, she may have seen the hate that was brewing in his eyes. "No," he said calmly, "there's absolutely no need for that."

The drive home was silent. Sam kept glancing nervously at Dustin. He gripped the steering wheel tightly, his knuckles completely white. She turned back to look out the window, wringing her hands anxiously in her lap.

"Dustin?" she asked timidly. He continued to stare out the front of the car as if he hadn't heard her. "Dustin?" she asked again. He still didn't answer. She exhaled deeply, turning her attention back to the buildings flying past the car. They finally turned into the parking lot of Dustin's apartment building. The exited the car without a word. Sam followed Dustin up to his room silently. When they were finally inside, Dustin slammed the front door. He turned to face her, a look of rage and hatred plastered all over his face.

"You _bitch!"_ he yelled. Sam was rooted to the spot, fear striking every nerve in her body. In three swift steps, Dustin was directly in front of her. His palm connected loudly with the side of her face. Sam inhaled sharply, but refused to make a noise.

"You stupid, fucking _whore!" _he screamed. Another painful slap to the face. Tears filled Sam's eyes, but she rapidly blinked them back. "Well!" he bellowed, his breath hot in her face. "Do you have anything to say for yourself?" Sam clenched her teeth. When she didn't answer, Dustin grabbed her shoulders forcefully.

"It's that Benson kid, isn't it?" he growled. She still said nothing. She felt his grip tighten on her shoulders, his fingertips digging roughly into her skin. Sam felt a whimper build in her throat, but she tried her best to suppress it. Dustin growled loudly, throwing Sam to the hard wood floor. She felt the toe of his boot connect with her shoulders, her head, her ribs. She bit her lip hard enough to taste blood. She wouldn't cry out. She wouldn't give him that satisfaction.

"You're a whore!" _Kick. _"You slut!" _Kick. _"How could you do this to me?" Each word was now punctuated by a swift kick to her body. The room began to go fuzzy. Sam rolled over onto her side, desperately trying to shield her body from Dustin's attacks. It was a mistake. His final and hardest kick landed square in her stomach. Sam felt her world go black.

* * *

><p>It was midnight when Freddie Benson's phone began to ring. He was vaguely aware of the noise, and may have even blindly reached for the phone, but he couldn't recall answering it. The ringing had stopped. Freddie began to drift back into sub-consciousness when the ringing began once more. This time, his blind attempt to reach for the phone had succeeded. He pressed it to his ear without bothering to see who was calling.<p>

"Hullo?" he mumbled groggily. Silence. He grumbled incoherently, about to end the call, when he heard a loud sniff. "Hello?" he said again, his mind beginning to process what was happening. "Who is this?"

"Freddie?" a fragile voice whispered from the other end. Freddie sat up quickly.

"Sam?" he asked in a hushed tone, afraid of waking his roommate.

"Hi," she said hoarsely.

"Sam, why are you calling me this late? Are you ok? What happened?" He was answered with another sniff.

"He knows."

"Who knows what?"

"Dustin. He…he found out."

Freddie felt his blood run cold. "Sam," he said slowly, "what did he do?"

Sam responded with hysterical sobs.

"Oh God, Freddie, it's gone!" she wailed. "It's gone!"

"What's gone, Sam?" Freddie asked, though he dreaded hearing the answer.

"The baby…uh-our baby," Sam choked. "H..he…he killed it, Freddie."

**A/N: So, this story is getting very close to being done. Please let me know what you think. Again, absolutely all reviews (good ones, constructive criticism, and even flames) are accepted and appreciated. Thanks!**


	15. Chapter 13

**A/N: Hey guys! Sorry I haven't updated in a couple days. I hope that's not too upsetting haha. I know the story is finally getting pretty exciting. Anyway, here's the next chapter. Hope you guys enjoy!**

_ "Please state your name for the court."_

_ "My name is Freddie Benson."_

_ "And how old are you, Freddie?"_

_ "I'm 19."_

_ "And did you know the victim, Dustin Williams?"_

_ "I did not know him personally, no."_

_ "Did you know the defendant, Samantha Puckett?"_

_ "Yes."_

_ "What is your relation to the defendant?"_

_ Freddie sighed and sat up straighter. He looked Sam's lawyer directly in the eyes before he answered. _

_ "I was the father of her child."_

**-9 months ago-**

Sam's body was still held tightly against Freddie's. She felt as if he'd been holding her for hours, his eyes still fixed on the bruise on her shoulder.

"Sam," he whispered, tightening his grip on her waist. Sam didn't respond. She refused to let herself feel any emotion in this moment; refused to remember the amount of love she'd once had for the boy pressed against her. She felt him bend his head down, and his lips gingerly brushed the bruise on her shoulder. She inhaled sharply, trying to ignore the tingles running from her neck to her fingertips. She couldn't remember the last time someone had been this gentle with her. Her lip began to tremble, and she bit it harshly. She wouldn't cry.

"Freddie," she finally managed to say. Her voice sounded hoarse and weak.

"I'm here," he whispered, looking down into her baby blue eyes. She felt his thumb gingerly wipe at her cheek. She hadn't even registered that she had begun to cry. She took another deep, shuddering breath before speaking again.

"Nobody knows," she whispered. She pushed away slightly from his grip, reaching up and wiping the remaining tears from her eyes. Her tough girl façade had broken for a moment, but she felt herself regaining her composure.

"Not even Carly?" Freddie asked. Sam shook her head. "Why?"

"Because it's really not that big of a deal." Sam's voice had become more confident.

"Sam…"

"No, Freddie, I'm serious. It's not a big deal. I can handle myself."

"But he's not treating you right!"

"You don't think I know that? I'm very well aware of how he treats me, Freddie! I am capable of getting out of it! Why do you think I'm here? Why do you think I broke up with him right before coming home?"

Freddie paused for a moment. "You…you did?" Sam nodded. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"Like I said, it's not that big of a deal. I'm a big girl, Freddie, I don't need you looking out for me anymore."

Freddie didn't acknowledge the comment. He still had more questions on his mind.

"How long has this been going on?"

Sam shrugged and averted her gaze.

"Sam….how long?"

"This was the first time," Sam said, still not meeting Freddie's gaze.

"Bullshit."

Sam's head snapped up, her eyes boring into his. "What did you say?"

"I said bullshit, Sam. This has happened before, hasn't it?" She remained silent. "Hasn't it?"

"He's never hit me before," she finally answered.

"But there have been other things?"

"Why does it matter?"

Freddie threw his hands in the air. "I give up," he growled. "Why can't you just be honest with me?"

"Because we're not together anymore, Freddie! You don't need to know all the details about my life anymore!"

Freddie heard himself laugh out loud. "You were good at keeping all the details about your life away from me even when we were together!"

Sam was silent. She could have retaliated, but she knew that he was right. Freddie's gaze was locked on her, expecting her to speak. When she didn't speak, he let a long sigh escape from his lips. He took two steps closer to her and held her face between his palms.

"Look at me," he said softly. Reluctantly, she raised her gaze to meet his. The look in his eyes was so caring, so _sincere_, that she couldn't help but feel the butterflies begin in the pit of her stomach.

"What?" she asked quietly.

"Why can't you accept that there are people that still care a lot about you?" he asked.

"I doubt that," she said gruffly, refusing to give in to the butterflies that were gradually taking over her body.

"You seriously believe that there's nobody out there that cares for you?" Sam hesitated before nodding slowly. Freddie felt a short laugh escape from his body. "Bullshit."

Suddenly, his lips were on hers. She inhaled sharply. The kiss had taken her by surprise. It wasn't the soft, gentle kiss she had become accustomed to while they were dating. This kiss was rough and greedy with a passion that Sam had never known from him before. She felt herself kissing him back with just as much desire and need. He backed her up against the wall, his hands beginning to roam her body. Lust began to cloud her mind. She was vaguely aware of him picking her up and carrying her to the bedroom. She couldn't remember when they got to his bedroom, when their clothes were shed, or even when their bodies finally became one. The only thing she could remember was that, when it was all over, she had buried her face into Freddie's chest and finally began to sob.

**A/N: So, I'm really bad at writing romance. I apologize. Anyway, I figured I should let you guys have a bit of Seddie fluff. Just in case anyone is confused, this scene did take place over their winter break, so it's 3 months before the last chapter took place. I just figured it was better to incorporate this scene after the whole hospital/baby stuff took place. Hope you guys liked it! Please, please, please review!**


	16. Chapter 14

**A/N: So, this story is quickly coming to an end. Sorry! Maybe I'll get some inspiration when I'm finished with this and write some more. Anyway, enjoy these last few chapters!**

_ "You were the father of Sam's child?"_

_ "That's correct."_

_ "Are you implying, then, that she lied about the pregnancy test?"_

_ Freddie was silent for a moment, then slowly nodded._

_ "Yes," he said, "she was. The pregnancy test found in Dustin's trash can did belong to her. It was the second one she had taken, claiming that Dustin had been the one to get her pregnant."_

_ "Do you know of what happened after that?"_

_ "He took her to get an abortion. When they got there, the doctor had told Dustin and Sam that the baby was in fact 3 months along, not one like they had claimed."_

_ "And what happened after that?"_

_ "Dustin drove Sam back to his apartment and…" Freddie's voice trailed off. He felt the eyes of the courtroom burning into him, willing him to finish his statement. He swallowed roughly before continuing. "And he beat her. Pretty badly. He…he forced her to miscarry."_

_ "Those are some serious allegations, Mr. Benson," Sam's lawyer said, stepping closer to Freddie. "How are you so sure that that happened?"_

_ "She called me that night and told me," Freddie responded. "Also, look at her. She should be on the verge of giving birth at this point. Does she look like she's even close to pregnant anymore?"_

_ He felt the eyes turn from him to Sam, studying her figure. A small murmur throughout the courtroom confirmed that no, she did not look pregnant by any means._

**-6 months ago-**

Highway scenery flew past the periphery of Freddie Benson's vision. He paid no mind to how fast he was going. He knew that he had to make the 5-hour trip in as little time as possible. As if to emphasize that point, he felt his foot press more firmly down on the gas pedal. He knew that she needed him, and fast. His grip tightened on the wheel. Why couldn't this piece of junk go any faster? Freddie weaved through lanes of traffic, praying that he wouldn't find himself passing a cop. He glanced down at the speedometer. It was trembling slightly, nearly reaching the 90 mph mark. Freddie pushed his foot down just a little harder. The needle jumped, then slowly crept towards the 100 mph marker. His heart was slamming quickly against his rib cage. His palms grew sweaty and began to slide down the steering wheel. He took a deep breath, tightening his grip even more on the wheel. His knuckles were white.

"Hang on, Sam," he whispered. "Please hang on. Please be ok."

* * *

><p>There was blood everywhere.<p>

That's all that Sam could comprehend in her current state. That, and the pain. The pain was significant; more than anything she'd ever felt in her life. The blood continued to pool on the floor between her legs. She cried out as an excruciating cramp ripped through her abdomen. She knew she'd been on the floor of Dustin's apartment for a long time, though she couldn't exactly say how long. She remembered calling Freddie at midnight. She thought she remembered him saying he'd be there, but the memory seemed so distant that she couldn't say for sure.

"Help," she heard herself whimper. She knew her pleas were useless. Nobody was in the apartment. She tried to crawl towards the door, but immediately stopped. The pain throughout her body was too significant to move. The room grew fuzzy. Her vision was beginning to fade in and out.

"Please," she begged, her voice scratchy and faint, "please, somebody help me."

She began to fade into unconsciousness. The blood loss was too much. She began to tremble, the room suddenly feeling far too cold. Her world grew black around her. She couldn't remember when she finally passed out. She couldn't remember when the door burst open. She couldn't remember when a pair of strong, familiar arms had picked her up and carried her out of the apartment. The next thing she could recall was waking up in a sea of white.

"Where am I?" she heard herself ask. She tried to sit up, but the pain that coursed through her body was too much for her to handle. She collapsed back onto the bed, breathing heavily.

"You're in the hospital," she heard a female voice say. The voice sounded distant. Sam blinked a few times, trying to focus her vision.

"Hospital?"

"Yes. You've sustained some pretty nasty injuries."

Sam groaned quietly as a dull throb began to form behind her eyes.

"How did I get here?" she mumbled.

"A nice young boy brought you in," the woman (Sam assumed she was a nurse) told her. "I believe he said his name was Freddie."

"Freddie…" Sam whispered. "Wait, the baby…"

The nurse was quiet. Sam dreaded to hear her answer, though she already knew what it was.

"I'm very sorry," the nurse said quietly, "but I'm afraid you've had a miscarriage."

Sam squeezed her eyes shut, trying to prevent the tears.

"I understand this is probably a very difficult time for you," the nurse continued. "Would you like me to leave you alone?" Sam was silent for a moment, then slowly nodded. She heard the nurse's footsteps walk out of the room, and the door shut behind them. Sam was unaware of the boy in the seat next to her bed; a boy that had just woken up from a restless sleep.

The boy was positive he had heard Sam mumble, "I'm going to kill that sonofabitch."

**-Present day-**

_"Are you positive that's what you heard my client say?" Sam's lawyer asked._

_ "I'm positive, yes," Freddie replied._

_ "So you're saying that Samantha had contemplated murdering the victim 2 months before he was actually murdered?" Freddie heard the prosecutor call from his table._

_ "Objection," Sam's lawyer said to the judge. Before he had a chance to reply, Freddie spoke directly to the prosecutor_

_ "Yes, I suppose she had."_


	17. Chapter 15

**A/N: This is a lot of updates for one day. This is how I'm spending my Friday night, guys. Haha. Anyway, I have all this time, and I'd really like to finish this story soon. So, here's the next chapter!**

_ "You can't possibly be suggesting, Mr. Benson, that my client is guilty of murder in the first degree," Sam's lawyer said. _

_ "I did not say that," Freddie assured. "I said that she had contemplated it. I'm not finished with my testimony yet."_

_ "Ok," Sam's lawyer said, "please continue."_

_ "Immediately following Sam's release from the hospital, she wanted to file a restraining order against Dustin; however, that idea quickly died. She knew that there was no way she could keep him from being around her, considering they went to the same school. She did threaten it, though, and that kept Dustin away for a couple months."_

_ "When did he go back to her?"_

_ "On the evening of May 13__th__…the same evening he was found dead in his apartment."_

**-4 months ago-**

"I like that you don't have class on Fridays," Sam mused. She was lying face down on her bed, her head turned to the left to face Freddie. He smiled in response.

"It's more time I get to spend with you."

"Protecting me," Sam finished. Freddie didn't answer, though he knew she was right. Being away from Sam, even for just a few days, made him extremely uneasy. He wasn't sure what Dustin was fully capable of, but he'd seen enough to know that it couldn't be good. "It's ok, though," Sam said, pulling Freddie from his thoughts.

"What?" Freddie was shocked. He'd never heard Sam say that anyone taking care of her was ok.

"I clearly can't actually handle myself with him," she explained. "I guess it's good that you come to check up on me, you know?"

Before Freddie could speak, a loud knock was heard at the door. Sam sighed, sliding down from her bed and walking towards her door. She opened it just enough to see who was behind it. She gasped, taking a step back.

"What are you doing here?"

"I needed to see you," Dustin pleaded, stepping towards the door. Sam shook her head.

"It's not a good time," she said, beginning to close the door. Dustin put his foot in the way to keep it open.

"Sam, please just let me in."

"She told you it's not a good time," Freddie growled from behind Sam, wrapping his arms around her protectively. Dustin was momentarily taken aback at the sight of Freddie. He quickly regained his composure.

"So that's how it is?" he asked. Sam nodded, pressing back against Freddie. She noticed Dustin's hands begin to ball into fists.

"I think you should leave now," Sam said, her voice barely above a whisper. Dustin nodded, turning away from Sam. She was just about to close the door when he whipped back around, kicking the door open and smacking her square across the face. Sam let out a quick, sharp yelp, but Freddie was on Dustin before she could even react.

Freddie felt his fists connecting roughly with Dustin's body. Dustin put up his arms to guard his face from Freddie's frantic punches. As Freddie reared back for one more punch, Dustin flipped him over, pinning him to the floor.

"Freddie!" Sam called from directly behind them. Dustin stood up quickly, giving Freddie a swift kick to the ribs. He darted for the door, turning sharply and running down the hallway.

"Follow him," Freddie groaned, struggling for a moment to stand up. As soon as he regained his balance, he followed Sam down the hallway to the stairwell. Freddie felt his lungs begin to burn as he pushed himself to run faster down the stairs and out into the warm spring air. The sun had already begun to set, and it took him a moment for his eyes to adjust to his darkening surroundings. Freddie heard Sam running directly behind him. He looked all over, but couldn't spot Dustin anywhere.

"Where do you think he went?" he called to Sam. He felt himself beginning to gasp for air.

"Probably to his apartment," she panted. "He probably thinks he'd be safe there."

**-Present day-**

_"You were with Samantha on the day that Dustin was murdered?" Sam's lawyer asked, resting both his hands on the rail in front of Freddie. _

_ "Yes," Freddie answered._

_ "Shouldn't she have been in class?" _

_ Freddie sighed. "She didn't have a night class. It was Friday. Nobody in their right mind schedules a night class for a Friday evening."_

_ "Ok, so she wasn't in class. What happened when you got to Dustin's apartment?"_

_ "Sam still had a key that he had made for her a while ago. I'm not really sure why she kept it. She probably had forgotten to get rid of it. Anyway, she used it to unlock the door. We found Dustin in the apartment. His father had been big into guns, I guess, so he let Dustin keep a pistol in their house. It wasn't a very safe neighborhood, so I assume that he wanted Dustin to use it for protection."_

_ "What does that have to do with anything?"_

_ "The gun was pointed at us when we opened the door," Freddie explained. "I ran into the apartment as fast as I could and tackled him before he could fire a shot. We wrestled for a while, and I beat him up pretty badly." Freddie felt his palms begin to sweat. His body was trembling. He looked down at his lap before continuing. "We wrestled and wrestled…and then the gun just went off." He looked up at Sam's lawyer, tears lining the bottom of his eyes. "I killed him," he whispered. "I'm the one that killed Dustin Williams on the night of May 13__th__ 2010."_

**A/N: And the truth comes out! So, this is pretty much the ending. I'm going to write an epilogue, then that'll be it for this story. Please keep reviewing! I'm really anxious to know what you guys think!**


	18. Epilogue

**A/N: Sadly, this is the end of this story. I know, it's very depressing, but hopefully you guys enjoyed it, right? Well, hopefully you'll still have enjoyed it after this chapter. Anyway, here's the epilogue.**

**-Present Day-**

It seemed to take hours for the jury to reach a verdict. Freddie sat next to Sam at the defendant's table, wringing his hands nervously in his palms. Finally, he saw the line of twelve jurors walk through the door and assume their positions on the stand.

"Jury, have you reached a verdict?" the judge asked.

"We have, Your Honor," one juror replied, a piece of paper held out in front of him. "We the jury find the defendant, Samantha Puckett, not guilty of murder in the first degree." The juror paused for a moment, allowing the verdict to be recorded. He looked back down at the paper, reading the next sentence that had been written down.

"This is an extremely odd case, Your Honor. However, we did reach a verdict regarding the witness, Freddie Benson."

"Please state the verdict," the judge replied. He turned to the defense table. "Mr. Benson, please rise." Freddie complied as the juror began to speak.

"Due to the nature of his death, and the evidence found backing up his story, we find the witness, Freddie Benson, not guilty of murder in the first degree."

Freddie felt his legs grow weak beneath him. He reached out to the table, holding it to keep himself from falling. His head was spinning. He couldn't believe it. After four months of torment and guilt, Freddie finally felt as if he could breathe.

After four months of being trapped by his own conscience, Freddie Benson was a free man.

**A/N: I'll be honest, this wasn't originally supposed to be a happy ending, but I really couldn't think of a way I could actually end it on a bad note. So, I really hope you guys enjoyed it! Pretty please review and tell me ALL of your thoughts on this entire story! Love you all, and thanks so much for reading!**


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